First thing’s first: Even though he had no possible reason to want to hit Dodgers instant-living-legend Yasiel Puig with a 2-0 lead and no one on in the sixth inning last Tuesday, Arizona’s Ian Kennedy put a pitch where you just don’t put a pitch in today’s baseball.

Let’s say a huge Arizona Diamondbacks fan spent three months completely out of touch – a stint on a space station, sealed in the Biosphere, working for the IRS in Cleveland, take your pick – and had no idea how his favorite baseball team had fared over the first two-plus months of the season.

It’s been a tried-and-true formula for the Phoenix Suns of old: Look to a former NBA guard, preferably one with a Suns pedigree, and give him his shot to be a head coach. Use his offensive mind to steer an exciting brand of basketball and protect your home court enough to be a consistent playoff team.

For nearly two hours on Monday night, stories were shared, laughs were loud and Kleenex was out in full force.

The enigma of Justin Upton was in full display during his recent three-day return to Chase Field.

The Valley sports media has been tripping over itself in lauding the hiring of new Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough, calling it a turning point and a ray of light for a franchise that has been in a death spiral during these past couple years of the Robert Sarver era.

The Arizona Cardinals didn’t need this.

For the time being, spring football gets overshadowed a bit by the spring sports’ state tournaments, but it’s in (or about) to be full swing ahead.